Rick Nelson would have turned 78 years old today. On his 21st birthday in 1961, …

Rick Nelson would have turned 78 years old today. On his 21st birthday in 1961, Ricky wanted to shed his teenybop image so he changed his professional first name to “Rick,” which he would insist upon being called for the rest of his career.

How many of you remember watching him on his parents TV show?

Happy Birthday Rick. We all wish you could have stuck around a little (ok, a lot) longer. RIP.